Sewing-machine case



*'Nov. 19, 1929. "D?. H. cHAso'N.

SEWING MACHINE (Q'ASFy Filed aan. 2v, i928 lla, i

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL H. CHASON, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU'- FACTURING COMPANY, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY SEWING-MACHINE @Asn Application filed January 27, 11928: Serial No; 249,918.

This invention relates to portable sewing machine cases including separable coverand base-sections and, more particularly, to the fastening means for securing the cover-section to the base-section.

An object of the invention is to provide a simpliied form of fastening means which is concealed when the cover is applied to the base and which will permit the cover to be applied to the base without materially tilting the cover'.

In cases where it is necessary to materially tilt the cover-section in applying it to the base-section, there is danger of interference between the cover-section and the sewing machine seated on the base-section. Obviously less clearance is required and there is less danger of interference between the sewing machine and the cover, where the cover may be applied and removed by a straight up-anddown motion, Without tilting.

To the attainment of the ends in view, the coverand base-sections, having their parting surfaces in a horizontal plane, are provided at one end with inter-engaging hookand slotted retainer-elements. The hook-element is formed with a reduced shank and an enlarged tip with shoulders at the juncture of the shank and tip. The retainer-element is formed with a stepped slot including an enlarged portion to receive the hook-tip on the down-motion of the cover upon the base and a reduced portion at the side of the enlarged portion to receive the hook-shank on a horizontal motion of the cover upon the base.

The coverand base-members are provided at their ends opposite the hookand retainerelements with inter-engaging elements of a key-operated lock which are brought into register by the above-mentioned horizontal motion of the cover.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l 1s a side elevation, partly in section, of a sewing machine case embodying the invention. Fig. 9. is a top plan view of the base-section. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the inter-engaging hookand retainer-elements at one end of the case. Fig. 4l is a sectional view of the interengaged key-operated locking-element at the otherI end of the case.- Fig. 5 is a plan View of the retainer-element with thev hook-element sectionp Fig., 6 is a perspective viewr of the hook-element. Fig.. 7 is a perspective View of the retainer-element. F ig'. 8. is a bot- 1 tom: view off the key-operated lock with the bolts in. unlocked position. Fig. 9 is a similar view with the bolts inV locked position, and

Fig. l0 is a transverse section through the;

an enlarged tipv 5; affording abruptr shouldersy 6, 6?; the shank 41, tip 5 andshou-lders 6 lying in a commonv plane at right angles to the plane of the plate 3., Let into the adjoining parti-ng surface of the base 1 is the retainerelement 7 formed with a stepped slot including an enlarged portion- 8 adapted to receive the tip- 5l of thelrook-element on the down-m0- tion of the cover upon the base, and an adjoining redueed portion 9 to receive the hooksliank 4 on'a horizontal motion` of the cover uponthe loa-se;` these motions being indicated by arrows. in Fig. 10.

At the ends of the enlarged portion 8 of thel slot in the plate Z there are provided downwardly bent tongues I() serving as guides for the tip 5 of the hook-member and insuring passage of the shank 4 into the reduced portion. 9 of the retainer-slot., on. the horizontal motion of the cover to closed position.I

When the hook-shank 4isiinposition in the reduced portion 9 of the retainer-slot, the

shoulders 6, 6 are directly below the corners.

11, 1l of the retainer-plate; which corners cooperate with the shoulders 6, 6 to prevent separation of the cover from the base when the case is lifted by the handle 12.

The case is provided at the end opposite the hookand retainer-elements 3, 7 with a suitable lock, such as disclosed in the patent to Chason, No. 1,594,152' of July 27, 1926.

Such a lock comprises akeeper-plate 13 which is secured to the base 1 and formed with a rectangular slot 14A. The lock further includes a casing 15 in which are slidably mounted the shanks 1G of the bolts having their downwarlly extending ends oppositely hooked at l 10 Also disposed within the lock casing 15 is a key-operated circular plate 18'formed with bolt-actuating cam-slots 19 in which are disposed follower pins 20 carried by the re- 15 spective bolt-shanks 16, 16. Rotation of the cam-plate carries the bolts outwardly in 0pposite directions from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 9, thus engaging the hooked ends 17 `of the bolts under the 2@ keeper-plate 13.

The distance between the hook-tip 5 and the hooked ends 17 of the lock-bolts is equal to the distance between thev reduced portion 9 of the slot in the retainer plate 7 and the slot 14 in the keeper-plate 13. Hence, when the cover is lowered upon the base, the hooktip 5 must be passed into the enlarged portion 8 of the slot in the retainer-plate, and the cover shifted horizontally to carry the ho0k-shank 3o 4 into the reduced portion 9 of the slot, before the downwardly projecting ends 17 of the lock-bolts register with and can be inserted into the slot 14 in the keeper-plate 13. l/Vhen the bolts 17 are spread, the cover is firmly 352 secured to the base at both ends and the case can be safely carried without danger of separation of the base from the cover.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 4b? A cover-fastener comprising hookand retainer-elements, the hook-element being formed of sheet metal and having an attaching base and a flat tongue bent flatwise from the plane of the base to stand normal to the latter, said tongue having a reduced shank and an enlarged tip with shoulders at the juncture of the shank and tip, said retainer element being formed of sheet metal perforated to provide a stepped tongue-receiving slot with a long hook-tip-receiving portion and a shorter hook-shank-receiving portion, said retainer element having hooktip-engaging means projecting downwardly at the ends of the longer portion of the slot to guide the fhook-shank into the shorter portion of the slot.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification.

DANIEL H. CI-IASON. 

